Reviewing the situation

I guess, on this Christmas Day, it might be time to write about my hospital stay.

We got there as requested before 7am, and were asked to wait in the staff's Day Room. (I found later it was because the previous occupant of my allotted space had suffered projectile vomiting and diarrhoea about an hour before I arrived!)

About 8.30 I went through the forms with one of the nursing trainees, and met the anaesthetist and Mr Modi the surgeon. They went through what they were going to do, and put me at my ease. Then back to the day room.

I was told I'd be first up for surgery, but because of the issues with the ward (which was now being thoroughly cleaned and all the curtains replaced) I'd have to wait. At 10.30 I went down to a space on the ward, and then was given the 10-minute warning to get changed into the gown. Steve left at this point and went home.

I was taken down to the surgical suite, where they went through everything again and drew on my shoulder, so that they could see not to operate on the other one! I had a canula inserted (more on that later!) and lay on the bed. The anaesthetist gave me the sedative and told me to go to my happy place.

Ah.

I don't have a happy place as such.

So I imagined myself on my chair at home listening to Pink Floyd.

Next thing I knew I was in another room, my arm in a sling and strapped closely to my body, and someone was speaking my name. My first thought was "oh do shut up. I haven't slept that well in years" but I did finally open my eyes and they drove me back to the ward, where my allocated space was waiting.

Half-sitting in the bed, I looked round. The women who'd had their knee operations were getting ready to go home. The lady in the diagonally opposite bed had her hip replaced: apparently she'd been there 5 days, and all because she'd not passed a motion in that time. You have to poo before they let you out. "Humph" I thought. "We'll see about that". I was really hungry, and one of the nurses welcomed me back with a cup of tea and a piece or two of toast, which I relished! Beautiful. Tea was due about 6pm and it was now 3pm. The op must have taken about 3 hours, 11 - 2 I think?

Mr Modi came in to see me and go through what had happened. When they'd opened me up, they found the arthritis was much more severe than they thought, and it was affecting the scapula (shoulderblade) and going towards the spine as a result. They'd cleaned up as much as they could, but it had meant that my shoulder replacement had been a reverse one. The ball joint was attached to the muscles in the chest and the clavicle (collarbone) and the glenum (top of the scapula), while the socket was now the top of the humerus (armbone). This would have some implications for future mobility of the joint, but actually it would be easier to recover from. I'd had a nerve block into the brachial plexus, and slow-release morphine as the pain relief during the operation, and both would be worn off in the next 24 hours.

I don't remember what the meal was, I do remember eating with one hand after the nurse had cut it all up for me! That left arm of mine was going nowhere.

I'll end there and continue in another post. This had been the relatively uneventful part.

One step forwards, one or two steps back?

So over the past couple of weeks I've had to slow down the pace of my recovery a bit.

I was catching the bus to get to hospital for physio and to call in at work the other week, and on my way from work walking down hill to the 86 bus stop. I could feel a weakness in my legs, muscles shaking and inability to put one foot too far in front of the other. This couldn't be right could it? After all, I'd been doing short walks (0.2 or 0.3 miles, to the bus stop and back, or to the shop and back, every other day) for a couple of weeks and surely I should start seeing an improvement in my physical condition by now.

Another thing that happened that I wasn't expecting was the return of the severe headaches that I'd had in 2006, when it had been diagnosed as an issue with the placement of the scapula on my right shoulder: 6 months of intensive physio and taping seemed to have cured these, but here they were again. I wondered if it was because the physio exercises were done on one side only.

I had a day when I had a physio appointment at lunchtime and then the two-month post-op meeting with Mr Modi in the afternoon. I mentioned to Jenny the physio both the above conditions, and she suggested that the op had provoked a flareup of my rheumatoid arthritis. I hadn't even considered this possibility! So I have an appointment with my GP next week to see what he thinks. The headaches, she agreed with me about the exercises and so we've adapted them. Some of the ones I do lying down I now do with both arms, and the major stretches I do with both arms too. Let's see how that works.

She came to the consultant appointment too. I had an X-ray of the shoulder taken, and Mr Modi is really pleased with the progress and his handiwork, he showed me what it looked like and answered my questions about where the screws were screwed into. As it was 8 weeks post-op, I asked him if it was OK for me to drive and he agreed, especially as I have an automatic car, but to keep it local just now. So I guess that means no driving across the country visiting relatives for me!

I now have a plan for a phased return to work too.

Now until 14th January: 2 half-days a week.
14/1 - 8/4: 4 or 5 half-days a week.
8/4: 6-month signoff meeting with Mr Modi
After Easter: back to work full-time.

I had planned for a full-time return from the 14th January, so this is a bit of a blow for me I'm afraid. However, at least I can go back and do things. I can do therapies as long as I don't do massage: no cleaning or heavy lifting (yeh, right...), and keep up with the exercises.

I did do all day (9 - 3) on Saturday on my own, teaching the Violet Flame initiation in the morning and manning reception in the afternoon, then I cleaned up and mopped the floors.

Big mistake.

I am still not quite recovered from that! So, so tired when I got home. So much pain - out with the Zapain and I've had 3 doses since then, including one double dose (which is allowed if needed). And the headache returned last night so I had to take some ibuprofen as well.

Oh well, I guess it's all a learning curve isn't it. I am so frustrated, particularly as about the only thing I've been able to do is be a keyboard warrior! I did try and put the hoover over in the week as well, which was a similarly painful experience. But if I don't do it, it doesn't get done, and with 3 long-haired cats, it has to be done.

A catch up post

I know I've been quiet at the moment, but I've not had a lot to say and when I have, I've said it. I know that's unusual for me!

Today was day number 2 in the phased return to work. Walk to bus stop: bus to town: walk to bus station: bus to Ball Hill: walk to Centre. A couple of hours there with Janet, catching up, meeting the new physiotherapist, sorting things out. Then walk down to Binley Road, catch the bus to Binley Woods, walk home.

Collapse in an exhausted, quivering heap.

I still haven't recovered 4 hours later.

I'm now starting to wonder whether there is something more sinister going on here. Why am I so prostrated by a minimal amount of exercise - less than 1.5 miles in 4 chunks, each chunk punctuated with a good sit down? Why do my legs tremble after a few steps? What is going on? How have I got worse rather than better in the last couple of weeks?

I am at the hospital again tomorrow. Walk to bus stop: bus to town: bus to hospital. Physio, then lunch, then consultant. Bus to Warwickshire shopping park: walk across Morrisons car park: bus to Binley Woods: walk home. I shouldn't be quite as knackered as I am today. Should I?

I shall mention it to the consultant tomorrow, but I'm guessing I need to see my GP. Wish me luck.

I have been taking a goodly amount of decent supplements: Vit D3, an excellent multivitamin, glucosamine, an Omega 3-6-9 oil. It's just the exercise bit that I'm struggling with now.

I'm still here.

May 13th came and went, and I'm still here.

Still in pain, now with the additional complications that my muscles feel weak when I walk, my right hip hurts, and my neck and both shoulders both hurt too. Shopping this week was a night mare.

The Tens machine does work but not for long enouch. The Fenbid gel also works after a fashion, as I can't quite reach where it needs to go!

As I need to have a reasonably clear head, I can't take the full dose of 2 x 30/500 Zapain. I take 1 every so often, roughly every 3 hours at night as I think that's going to amount to much the same, and if I stop and take 2 x 500 paracetamol at about 3am then the hangover process has started so I have a roughly clear head by 9am.

I've started taking the Naproxen every morning again to see if it works. No improvement so far but I think it needs to build up, as does the Organic Beauty Oil from NYRO which I stopped taking in March on the advice of the pre-op nurse. Now I know that it actually works, I'm going back on it!

I found a very good pain scale this morning, which is 0 - 12. On that scale I'm operating at 7 - 9 most days, with the pain being enough to distract me from concentrating and stopping me doing things (like putting the gear lever into reverse).

I'm completely running out of ideas now. The only thing keeping me going is the thought that one day this will be over. Sorry to be so negative.

My crowdfunder is here. I'm considering using it to pay for taxis to get us everywhere as I'm finding driving so very painful.
https://gogetfunding.com/please-fund-my-convalescence/

Is this the new normal?

So today I am not a happy bunny.

I should have been at a school event, helping the next generation with their job search and employability skills. Instead I am at home, not too far from the bathroom, and with a foggy head.

Last night I went to bed early because I had this event to get to, which would mean an early start to get there for 8pm. I did everything right pain wise or so I thought.

However, about 2am (might have been 3...) I needed to go to the loo and take my thyroxine tablet and more painkillers. So that's what I did, I took some co-codamol because I knew I had to be sharp witted early and a Zapain wouldn't do that. And that all bounced I'm afraid. Straight back. So another thyroxine tablet and a Zapain, which is much easier to swallow and indeed stayed down.

Back to bed: more pain, so more Fenbid gel on the spot.

More pain. Strange dreams.

So by 5am I knew I wouldn't make this event, and I feel bad for having to let people down at the last minute.

It's now 10.30 ish, and so far I've taken the extra strength painkillers, more Fenbid gel and a blast with the Tens machine - and that damn pain ain't going nowhere. I am out of ideas.

I'm no good at sums!

Maths was never my strong point.

I asked my doctor to change my prescription so I got the 8/500 co-codamol painkillers, and not the 30/500 Zapain. This is because if I take what the GP thinks I ought to be taking, which is 2 x 30/500 4 times a day, I become like a constipated zombie! My brain turns to mush and my gut turns to stone. Neither of which is good for someone who has to massage clients and teach students. And I was relieved when I did get the lower dose in my bag this month.

The issue with paracetamol is that you can only take 8 x 500 tablets per day, otherwise you will overdose. A paracetamol overdose is fatal, as it destroys the liver and the only thing that will save you is a transplant. I've had the grim details from my sister-in-law, who used to be a nurse on the liver ward at the hospital. And as I said, maths was never my strong point.

So here's what I have to do. First thing in the morning and last thing at night, I rub Fenbid Ibuprofen gel into my shoulder, so I can (a) get dressed and (b) lie down. This means I can't take Naproxen because of the high dosage of Ibuprofen. However, I can take 2 of the 200 Ibuprofen, just not at the same time as I rub the gel in. But the reason why I wanted to stop taking Naproxen was the effect it was having on my gut, with little bleeds every so often which only show up when my poo gets black and sticky. yuk!

I also have some aspirin, both as 300 tablets, and as a combination pain control tablet available OTC with paracetamol and caffeine. Now the plain aspirin doesn't seem to work, but the combination does - I just can't take it in the middle of the night because of the caffeine element. And bearing in mind what I said above about the paracetamol, I have to choose when to take it.

Therefore, my pain regime currently is the following:

8am Rub Fenbid gel in, take 2x combination tablets. Total paracetamol: 2
10am 2x 200 ibuprofen. Total paracetamol: 2
12 noon 2x 8/500 co-codamol. Total paracetamol:4
4pm Now then. Can I do without here, or do I need to take some more ibuprofen? One evening last week I couldn't get the car to reverse as I didn't have the strength to get the gearstick into the correct place. Steve had to do it for me. So really I should take some more ibuprofen.
9 or 10pm Rub Fenbid gel in, take1 x 30/500 Zapain Total paracetamol:5
2 - 3am 1x 100 Levothyroxine, 1 x 30/500 Zapain. Total paracetamol: 6
BUT If I am teaching the morning after, no Zapain for me! I can just about make do on the 8/500 co-codamol, or if I'm in too much pain, it's 2 x 500 paracetamol plus more Fenbid. Total paracetamol:7.

I am sailing close to the wind, and if I forget, or take a paracetamol dose instead of an ibuprofen dose, I've had it. I need my wits about me!

So what can I do alternative wise? Heat patches have some effect, I have some wheat bags which microwave very well. I can try the wintergreen salve from Oomeo, or Arnica salve with some helichrysum  essential oil mixed in, sometimes they help, but they are more for muscular pain. They do work on the underlying tendonitis, but not on the root cause which is the complete lack of cartilage in my shoulder joint. Therefore, that is very limiting.